Vaping VS Smoking Marijuana: Which Is Healthier?

Smoking is almost becoming a thing of the past. Many health defects have been proven to be related to smoking, and it can cause other side effects like throat irritation or lung infection. With recent technological improvements, vaporizers have gained in popularity.

What are Vaporizers?

Vaporizers are an electronic device that heat up your herbs to a specific temperature. Instead of directly burning your herbs, a vaporizer heats up the herbs in the oven chamber. The heat is only high enough to release vapor from the active ingredients, instead of causing combustion of all the entire herb (which, like smoking cigarettes, is where most of the unhealthy toxins come from). In cannabis, this will be THC, CBD, and any other cannabinoids and terpenes that specific strain carries.

Health Advantages of Vaping Cannabis

There are many health advantages to using a herbal vaporizer. The process of using a vaporizer to consume medical marijuana is pretty straight forward. Just grind your cannabis, pack it into the chamber, heat up the vape, and inhale.

Smoke free

One of the biggest health concerns is smoking. In the past 5 years, smoking has become more of a taboo. States and local cities are extending smoking laws to cigarettes. More than 450,000 people die in the United States each year from smoking cigarettes. Vaporizers just emit vapor which is a lower temperature substance that’s early in the gas phase. Smoke occurs when more heat is applied.

Less carcinogens

Carcinogens in smoking is very high. Just in cigarettes, there are over 4,000 chemicals and more than 70 of them are known to cause cancer. Vaping has been known to reduce the carcinogens. Some carcinogens are created from high temperatures combusting your herbs. This means even if there was never pesticide used on your herbs, you can still get cancer from the hot smoke traveling through your throat. For cannabis, temperature over 420°F – 440°F will start to combust your herbs, depending on how dry it is. One of the substances that gets created from high heat is benzene which can damage the reproductive system.

Easier on the throat and lungs

One of the biggest proponents for using a vape is for medical marijuana patients. Some patients turn to medical cannabis in hopes to help their pains. Many people cannot smoke it because of lung or throat problems. They have to resort to edibles and edibles don’t affect everyone the same. It might be too strong for some people while other don’t feel the anticipated effects. Some patients have had bad experiences with edibles and will never try them again. Vapes give them the option to consume cannabis and experience all the expected relief.

Efficient at releasing cannabinoid

Putting a lighter to your cannabis starts to become a waste. Not only can you inhale all of the smoke created by it, but it burns some cannabinoids in the process. This means a portion of your THC, CBD and other cannabinoids you rely on will be diminished. Finding the right temperature, you will be able to extract everything you need in one or two hits. CBD oil is also easily vaporized.

Secondary Benefits of Vaping

Vaporizing provides many benefits in addition to strictly health-based. Most people who switch to vape pens do it strictly for health reasons, especially medical marijuana patients, but there are some real advantages to vaping vs. smoking medical marijuana.

Minimal smell

The first myth everyone hears about vapes is that they don’t smell. In reality, vaporizer pens still leave an odor, but they minimize the smell. This has a lot to do with the temperature. Since higher temperatures create smoke, it becomes thick and tends to stick around. Vapor is more like steam in the way it dissipates. It’s also very thin so there isn’t much of it to stick around.

Save money

The biggest downside to vapes are the upfront cost, but that’s all, and cheaper compared to some cannabis contraptions. A dab rig can be upwards of $500 and it’s so easily broken. When you purchase a vape, you generally don’t have to worry about this. Most manufacturers have a 1 year or longer warranty policy. The best part is you do not need to keep spending money on upkeep to maintain your vape. As long as you clean it, it will be good to you.

You also don’t need as much as you would if you smoked it. Using a vape won’t burn your cannabis and the heat works its way from around the herb rather than burning right through it. This means you get to vape the same “bowl” longer than you would if you smoked it.

Quick Hit Convenience

If you’re at an event and you want to consume some medicinal cannabis, we know it can be tough sometimes. You’re going to reek of pot. Vape pens make it easier to do this simply because you can go outside and take a quick hit or two. The convenience factor is a 10/10. It’s small enough that you can carry with you or just leave it somewhere you can easily retrieve later. Being able to access a quick hit of your medicine when you need it in the moment is pretty important.

Discreet

Many people still hide that they smoke. They don’t want anyone to know since it’s still is a taboo in most parts of the country. Dry herb vape pens are perfect for this. They’re small and the minimal smell can help. The fact that you don’t need a lighter or need to roll your bud helps.

More mellow feeling

The affect you get using a vape is a bit different than smoking a joint or pipe. Many people have reported a more mellow feeling. If you are someone who doesn’t like to get too high, or to have a tighter control over how much you’re consuming at once, a vape pen can work in your favor.

Better flavor

Flavor can be very subjective. Some people like the taste of smoking while others don’t. However, vaping allows you to experience the full flavor of your herb. Regardless of medical marijuana, lavender, tobacco or any other herbs, you will experience the actual flavor when vaping vs. smoking.

So there you have it.

There are many reasons to consider using a vaporizer to consume your cannabis instead of lighting up a pre-roll or using a pipe. Come for the lower consumption of carcinogens, stay for the increased flavor and getting more of the helpful compounds in each draw from the vape.

Ive smoked for years, and the transition from smoking to vaping definitely wasnt easy, because of the nicotine withdrawal, and just the mental withdrawal from going outside for a smoke. I still miss the going outside part (its just not the same when you have nothing to do there), but im so glad I did it now, and damn, those vape highs are incredibly pure and long lasting